Date:03/03/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/03/stories/2008030370010800.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Tenders for 3rd line project soon

J Balaji

Works to start in a few weeks

The track will be laid for 34.7 km parallel to the existing double line
It can withstand trains with the maximum speed of 165 km per hour

VISAKHAPATNAM: As the railway board has approved the laying of the Rs. 240-crore third line between Kothavalasa and Vizianagaram railway stations and Rs.56 crore allotted for the project in the 2008-09 railway budget, railway officials are hopeful of finalising the tenders soon.

“We’ve already kept everything ready regarding this project, which are pending for approval by the railway board and even called for tenders for undertaking some works.

Funds sanctioned

Now the fund has been sanctioned for this year, we hope to finalise the tenders and go ahead with this major project in the next few weeks,” said a senior railway official to The Hindu.

The track will be laid for 34.7 km parallel to the existing double line and land would not be a problem, barring at a few places, as enough railway lands are available. There would be a number of a small bridges and couple of big bridges, including the one to be constructed across Bhimasinghi river in Vizianagaram district. The Bhimasinghi bridge would be of around 200 metre long with six spans.

Useful

The line will be laid according to the railway’s heavy mineral loading (HML) standards using heavy duty rail of 60 kg per metre. The track, which would come under “group B” category, could withstand trains with the maximum speed of 165 km per hour. Of course trains are allowed to run only up to a maximum of 110 km per hour in this region.

The third line would be very useful to speed up movement, including passenger trains, between Visakhapatnam and Howrah.

Traffic increased

The freight traffic has significantly increased in this region in the last few years due to movement of coal, containers, iron ore, steel, bauxite, alumina etc. to various steel plants, thermal stations, aluminium factory and ports in the area ant to the South.

Sources said barring Simhachalam North and Kothavalasa section (19 km) only Kothavalasa-Vizianagaram section will have three lines in the entire Andhra Pradesh and Orissa and up to Kharagpur in West Bengal.

Other works

The tenders to be finalised for the project include those for taking up earth work, laying of track, electrical work, embankment, construction of bridges, signalling and communication.